Joseph hoffman



J. HOFFMAN. Lead and Crayon Holder.

No. 223,510. Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

PETERS, HIGYO-LITHUGRAPHER WAsmNGTON, \try 5.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO J OSEPIEL REGKENDORFER, OF SAME PLACE.

LEAD AND CRAYON'HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,510, dated January 13, 1880.

Application filed October 23, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH HOFFMAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lead and Orayon Holders, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to that class of pencil or lead and crayon holders in which the sheath or handle, formed or provided with a central bore or tube to receive the lead, is combined with jaws adapted to grasp the lead, and with a device through the instrumentality of which the jaws are caused to close.

My present improvement consists in combining with said sheath or handle hinged jaws, which are capable of vibrating or moving on their hinge or pivot in order to grasp or release the lead. One way of actuating said jaws is to provide them with ends in rear of the hinge, acted on by a clampingdevice which forces said ends to move apart, thus causing the jaws to vibrate or move on their hinge or pivot in such manner as to clamp the lead or other article placed between them. I also prefer to combine with said jaws a spring or springs, which will tend to move them in a direction contrary to that in which they are caused to move by the action of the jaw-clamping device; and I prefer to so construct the ends of the jaws in rear of the hinge or pivot that they shallin themselves constitute springs for the purpose above specified.

The nature of myinvention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a lead or crayon holder embodying my improvement in its preferred form, the jaws being represented as open. Fig. 2 is a like section of the same with the jaws closed. Fig. 3 is a section of the holder in a longitudinal plane at right angles to the plane of section in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the holder.

1n the several figures the parts are shown on an enlarged scale.

The sheath or handle A is of any suitable construction. It may be made of metal or Wood, and, if of wood, the lower end may terminate in a metal ferrule of proper shapeto form the point, and of a length to receive the jaw-clamping device. The sheath is provided with a central lead-receiving bore or tube, 0L.

I To the front end of the handle, and on the prolongation of the bore or tube a, are hinged, 4 at b, .the jaws a, properly shapedandpropon tioned to receive the lead entered between them. The ends of these jaws are prolonged back of the hinge or pivot 11, as shown at c, and these parts 0 are so formed and placed that they may vibrate or move outwardly or toward the periphery of the sheath, thus causing the jaws c to close together. The said ends a may be actuated to move by any suitable means.

The device 1 here employ consists of a tapered sleeve or, cone, cl, which surrounds and slides on the tube a, and is connected through the sheath by a stud, e', or otherwise, to a sleeve, f, which fits and is adapted to slide 011 the sheath.

The slot 9 in the sheath, through which passes the connecting pin or'rivet c, limits the movement of the sleeve f. The cone 11, when pushed forward, enters between the ends a, and, by forcing them apart, causes the jaws to close tightly on the lead. A reverse movement of the cone will permit the jaws to re- So lease the lead.

A spring or springs may be employed to act on the jaws or the ends at, so as to force, the jaws apart when the cone is moved back; and, obviously,"many arrangements of said spring 8 5 or springscan be made. One way of accomplishing this is to make the ends a springs, as represented in the drawings. These ends, as there shown, are bowed toward the center of the sheath, and made of spring metal, their rear ends resting against the inside of the sheath.

When the cone moves forward it comes in contact with the bulging or bowed parts of the spring ends and flattens these ends, as 5 shown in Fig. 2. The moment the cone is retracted the spring ends resume their normal position, and in so doing open the jaws as shown in Fig. 1.

It is manifest that in lieu of the cone other I hinged or pivoted jaws arranged on the pro.-

longation of the said bore or tube, and ajawclamping device movable independently of the jaws, and the sheath or other part to which said jaws may be attached, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the sheath or handle provided with a lead-receiving tube or bore, the hinged jaws formed with ends extending back of the hinge and within the sheath, and a longitudinally-movable conical or tapered expanding device arranged and adapted to act on said ends, substantially as specified.

3. The sheath or handle provided with a lead-receiving tube or bore, the springopened hinged jaws, and the jaw ends prolonged in rear of the pivot or hinge, in combination with the longitudinally-movable conical or tapered expanding device, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. The hinged or pivoted jaws provided in rear of their hinge with bowed spring ends, in combination with the leadreceiving case or sheath and the expanding cone or sleeve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I. have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of October, A. D. 1879.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

O. S. BRAISTED, J OE W. SWAlNE. 

